You hear it all the time: “I’m paying for Health Insurance I don’t even use!” But, Health insurance isn’t only for when you’re sick! You can use it to maintain your healthy status, you can use it for Preventative Care and you can also use this time to learn how your coverage works before you get sick. Also, many Health Insurance Plans offer things such as discounted gym memberships and rewards for healthy lifestyle choices (such as quitting smoking). Some plans even offer vision or dental benefits, so you can take advantage of an eye screening or 6 month dental check-up. Take advantage of free insurance benefits anytime Get preventive services,… Read More
Continue ReadingWhat is Medicare?
It’s important to know your benefits and how they work together. Here is an easy to understand article so you fully understand Medicare’s Parts in order to customize coverage that works for you! Here at Total Benefit Solutions, Inc we have highly trained and certified Medicare Enrollment Specialists to help you each step along the way. If your Medicare options confuse you, or you just want the piece of mind of having an impartial review your needs prior to selecting a plan, feel free to reach out to us at 215-355-2121! Medicare Part A helps cover hospital costs. This part is free for most and is provided by the federal… Read More
Continue ReadingWays to Save Money on Your Prescription Drugs
Prescriptions costs are skyrocketing. We all know that. But did you know that there are several ways for people to save money on their monthly medications? As health insurance plans are becoming more catastrophic in nature, that means that people will need to become better health care consumers. Sometimes that means using the tools that the insurance company offers at no charge. Sometimes it means using discounts and other resources that are available outside the health plan. Here are a few ways, some already widely known and others not so much, to help drop down your costs at the Pharmacy. While this is not a comprehensive list of money-saving ideas, it is… Read More
Continue ReadingWhat is an HRA and How It May See A Major Change Soon..
Before we get into how rules for HRAs may be changing, we should discuss what an HRA is and how it works. A Health Reimbursement Account (sometimes referred to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement) is an employer-funded group health plan that reimburses employees, tax-free, for qualified medical expenses up to a certain amount per year. This type of policy does not replace Medical Insurance and is usually coupled with a High-Deductible policy. Unlike an Health Savings Account (HSA), the Employee can not help to fund the account. Like HSAs though, there are maximum allowed contributions. In 2018, an Employer can fund an HRA up to $5,050 for a Single Employee and $10,250… Read More
Continue ReadingTotal Benefit Solutions featured in the Southampton Spirit
Total Benefit Solutions: A Committed Team Focused On ‘Clients First’ For Health Insurance by Tianna Grosch Looking for affordable health insurance but not sure where to start? Seeking the correct health insurance with benefits fit to your needs can be a daunting task, one that you should leave in the hands of caring and compassionate professionals. Total Benefit Solutions, Inc. (TBS) is the right place to get the advice and assistance you need in order to make the best enrollment decision whether you’re a family, senior or company. Ed and Kathleen MacConnell began this agency inspired by their own difficulties in receiving insurance coverage for their daughter Katelin, who was… Read More
Continue Reading“Can I use my HSA for…….?”
Health Savings Accounts and You Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) aren’t new. They’ve been around since late 2003. Initially they were created along with the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act to replace the Medical Saving Account System. Initially these plans were designed to help with Drug Costs under Medicare policies; However, as Insurance Premiums increased, more and more Employer and Individual Policies offered High-Deductible Plans to help curb costs. Due to that, HSAs were thrown into the spotlight as a way to use Pre-Tax Dollars to cover out-of-pocket Medical costs. In 2017, a reported 22million Americans have an HSA. Each year, that number continues to climb. Many people still have a… Read More
Continue ReadingCommon Questions: Rules For Your HSA After Becoming Medicare Eligible
Medicare and Your HSA In 2017, over 22 million Americans have a Health Savings Account. Each year that number goes higher and higher as High Deductible Plans become more popular with Individuals and Employers. Once you turn 65 and enroll in Medicare, you can no longer open an HSA or deposit money into it, but what if you already had one with a balance? You don’t have to worry about a “Use It Or Lose It” clause. That money can still be used towards out-of-pocket costs! Here are some very common questions about how you can continue to benefit from your HSA and why keeping funds in it for your… Read More
Continue ReadingPresident Trump Signs Prescription Drug Gag Clause Legislation
President Trump Signs Prescription Drug Gag Clause Legislation On Wednesday, President Trump signed into law S. 2553, the Know the Lowest Price Act, and S. 2554, the Patient Right to Know Drug Price Act. The legislation was passed by the House and Senate last month with bipartisan support and will ban “gag clauses” that prevent pharmacists from telling customers when they can save money on their prescriptions by paying out of pocket for the retail price of the drug, rather than using their insurance and making the co-payment. These bills comprise portions of President Trump’s “America First” prescription drug initiative that were released as part of a blueprint to lower drug prices in May.… Read More
Continue ReadingMedicare Part D Notification Requirements
Employers sponsoring a group health plan with prescription drug benefits are required to notify their Medicare-eligible participants and beneficiaries as to whether the drug coverage provided under the plan is “creditable” or “non-creditable” prior to October 15th, 2018. Please follow this link for more information: Medicare Part D Notification Requirements As always, if you have any questions or concerns about this notification or your specific policy, please contact us at 215-355-2121
Continue ReadingThe History of Medicare
A brief history of Medicare in America Landmark social program now covers 58.5 million Americans By Steve Anderson Discussion about a national health insurance system for Americans goes all the way back to the days of President Teddy Roosevelt, whose platform included health insurance when he ran for president in 1912. But the idea for a national health plan didn’t gain steam until it was pushed by U.S. President Harry S Truman.On November 19, 1945, seven months into his presidency, Truman sent a message to Congress, calling for the creation of a national health insurance fund, open to all Americans. The plan Truman envisioned would provide health coverage to individuals, paying for such typical expenses… Read More
Continue ReadingPrevent Osteoporosis with Screenings
10 Facts About Osteoporosis By Kathleen Hall This silent disease significantly raises your risk for fractures and disability. 1. Losing bone density is a normal part of aging. We reach peak bone mass between ages 25 and 30, and then slowly lose begin to start losing bone mass at age 40. For women, reduced levels of estrogen after menopause accelerate bone density loss. “Women lose 1.5 to 2 percent of their bone density per year in the first 10 years after menopause,” says Laura Ryan, MD, clinical associate professor of medicine in the division of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. 2. You don’t lose… Read More
Continue ReadingNew Medicare Card Mailing Update!
Check the Status of Your New Card *Cards have finished mailing to American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and to people who get RRB benefits. Three Things To Know Your new card will automatically come to you. You don’t need to do anything as long as your address is up to date. If you need to update your address, visit your My Social Security. Once you get your new Medicare card, destroy your old Medicare card and start using your new card right away. Your new Medicare Number is a unique combination of numbers and letters. Your new number uses numbers 0 thru 9. The letters S, L, O,… Read More
Continue ReadingHouse Passes Legislation to Change HSAs
The House of Representatives passed two pieces of legislation that, among other things, purport to improve and “modernize” health savings accounts (“HSAs”). While the bills call for significant changes to the current rules affecting HSAs, the specific details are very different. Both pieces of legislation have been sent to the Senate for consideration. Whether the Senate will take up these bills, let alone approve them “as is,” remains uncertain. There appears to be some bi-partisan agreement to loosen the current HSA rules, which means it is possible that we may see changes to these arrangements, which could be effective as early as January 1, 2019. When more information is available, we will… Read More
Continue ReadingIntroducing Xpress Healthcare with Aetna Dental Access!
Total Benefit Solutions offers Xpress Healthcare with a great dental discount & more for Individuals, Families and Seniors! Click Here to shop, compare & enroll!
Continue ReadingThe Four Stages of Medicare Part D (2018)
The Four Stages of Medicare Part D Coverage
Continue ReadingWatch Out For Medicare Scams!
Your new Medicare card is on the way, so if someone calls and says you need to give them your personal information or money to get the new card, hang up! It’s a scam. Medicare will never call uninvited and ask for personal information or money for you to get your new Medicare Number and card.Learn what to do if you get a suspicious call like this. If you haven’t gotten your new Medicare card yet, don’t worry. Mailing cards to each group of states takes at least a month, so you might get your card at a different time than friends or neighbors in your area. In the meantime, keep… Read More
Continue ReadingYour New Medicare Card is on the way! Watch out for scams!
Watch out for scams Your new Medicare card is on the way, so if someone calls and says you need to give them your personal information or money to get the new card, hang up! It’s a scam. Medicare will never call uninvited and ask for personal information or money for you to get your new Medicare Number and card. Learn what to do if you get a suspicious call like this. If you haven’t gotten your new Medicare card yet, don’t worry. Mailing cards to each group of states takes at least a month, so you might get your card at a different time than friends or neighbors in your area.… Read More
Continue ReadingMedicare Part D Donut Hole Closing Sooner!
Did you know? The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 moved up the date for closing the so-called donut hole for brand name drugs to 2019. It was previously 2020. For 2019 and every year after, the beneficiary cost sharing for brand name drugs after the initial coverage limit is 25% — the same as after the deductible and before the initial coverage limit. In 2020, the beneficiary cost sharing for generic drugs will also be 25%. Ask your Total Benefit Solutions Account Manager for more information at (215)355-2121. Total Benefit Solutions Inc. is your Medicare health insurance specialist! We work for your benefit!
Continue ReadingCMS Expands the Extension of Needed Relief for Marketplace Enrollees Who Missed Medicare Enrollment
CMS is offering assistance to certain individuals enrolled in both Medicare Part A (and/or Part C) and the Exchange for individuals and families to drop their Exchange coverage and enroll in Part B without penalty. Further, CMS is offering assistance to certain individuals who dropped or lost their coverage from the Exchange and are paying a Part B late enrollment penalty from their subsequent enrollment into Part B. These eligible individuals can have their penalty reduced. Individuals can apply for the special enrollment and reduction in late enrollment penalties during a limited time – it is available now and ends September 30, 2018 Read Blog Post from MedicareRights.org CMS SHIP… Read More
Continue ReadingFour Stages of Medicare Part D
It’s easy to see why Many people are confused by the Medicare part D plan coverage deductibles, limits and the donut hole. We have provided this graphic for you, our clients and friends to make it a little easier to see in a pie chart. Click the link below to download this graphic bulletin. 2018 Four Stages Of Medicare Part D Want to compare part D plans in your area quickly? Click here Have more questions? Call us today at (215)355-2121.
Continue ReadingYour Medicare Card Is Changing!
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015 requires that Social Security Number-based Health Insurance Claim Numbers (HICN) be removed from Medicare cards by April 2019; this is in an effort to lessen the current risk of beneficiary medical identity theft. A unique Medicare number, called the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier or MBI, will replace the current HICN. Beginning in April 2018, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will begin the process of mailing new Medicare cards and will meet the statutory deadline for replacing all cards by April 2019. Educational Resources: CMS Transition to New Medicare Numbers and Cards – Fact Sheet CMS Website –… Read More
Continue ReadingMedicare Part D CMS Notification Reminder
Employers sponsoring a group health plan need to report information on the creditable status of the plan’s prescription drug coverage to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In order to provide this information, employers must access CMS’s online reporting system at: https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Prescription-Drug-coverage/CreditableCoverage/CCDisclosureForm.html Click here to download the complete bulletin As always please contact you Total Benefit Solutions, Inc. account manager at (215)355-2121 if you have any additional questions or concerns.
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CMS publishes updated 2018 Medicare cost-sharing amounts
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently published updated cost-sharing amounts for 2018 which are outlined below. 2018 Medicare Costs at a Glance Standard Part B Premium Most people pay $134 each month Medicare Part B deductible (Medical deductible) $183 per year Medicare Part A deductible (Hospital deductible) $1,340 for each benefit period Beneficiaries will pay $134 (or higher depending on income) if they: • Enroll in Part B for the first time in 2018, or • Are directly billed for their Part B premium, or • Are dually eligible for Medicaid and have their premium paid by state Medicaid agencies pay an income-related premium Some beneficiaries who were held… Read More
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